Fantasy Basketball: Which American City Could Field the Best Team of Homegrown Players?

Image via Complex Original

Roster: Brook Lopez C, Robin Lopez C, Ryan Anderson PF, Jason Kidd PG, Jeremy Lin PG
Bench: Drew Gooden PF, Matt Barnes SF, Chuck Hayes C

When you think San Francisco, what comes to mind? The Golden Gate Bridge? Of course. How about the opening credits of Full House? Definitely. But basketball? Meh, not so much.

The University of San Francisco won back-to-back NCAA Championships in ’55 and ’56, but hasn’t even been to the NCAA Tournament in close to two decades. The Warriors moved to Oakland in ’71. Since then, Frisco’s been a basketball graveyard. So, you might as yourself, “Complex, how does a city void of basketball prowess establish itself on this list?” One word: Linsanity (also, importing players from Fresno).

You don’t have to be a meth cook to know that chemistry matters and the City by the Bay harmonizes stronger than any other team in the country. Jeremy Lin went from exile to a made-for-TV-movie in 48 hours last February, in part because New York loves a feel-good story almost as much as it loves a Jets quarterback controversy, but also because Lin is a genuinely likeable person that his teammates seem to support. In addition to playing together at Stanford, the Lopez twins share the exact same DNA. So, there’s that.

Jason Kidd’s last name has become ironic. He’s older, slower and wouldn’t be able to carry a team as a scorer or distributor. Thankfully, there are awesome parties in the Hamptons for off-the-bench, former all-pros. Lin’s another guy who is more a threat to spread the floor than to rack up points. That leaves Ryan Anderson as the team’s number one scoring threat. Shit.

In the frontcourt, Brook Lopez has become one of those seven footers who feel more comfortable playing away from the basket. That’s great for scoring and bad for rebounding. At seven feet tall, Brook Lopez averaged fewer than four rebounds per game last season. For his brother Robin, it’s the same paltry rebound numbers without the scoring. Again, shit.

San Francisco’s team is an island of misfit toys situation. They have some size, but nobody who rebounds. They have passers, but no scorers. They have veterans, but no leaders.

Roster: Kendrick Perkins C, DeAndre Jordan C, Emeka Okafor C, Stephen Jackson SG, Daniel Gibson G
Bench: Rashard Lewis F, Gerald Green SF

Though it lacks depth, this Houston team certainly doesn’t lack heart. These guys feel like they have something to prove, and this is their opportunity to do it. Deandre Jordan will continue to do what he does best—dunk on people’s heads and swat shots into the stands. Kendrick Perkins brings some much needed championship experience to the squad, having gone to the Finals twice with Boston and this past season with the Thunder. This allows Emeka Okafor the chance to face the basket and knock down open 15-footers.

No team is complete without a goon, and Stephen Jackson is still one of the trillest dudes in the NBA. He has the UGK stamp of approval, one of the most respectable cosigns you can get, and he’s still capable of scoring 20 a night if necessary. Plus, you have to be amused by a guy who can warm-up to his own mixtape tracks. Boobie Gibson leads the floor, eager to prove that he’s something more than Mr. Keyshia Cole. He may never get that chance again in Cleveland, so look for him to seize the opportunity here.

The H-Town squad’s biggest weakness is the lack of depth. They have Rashard Lewis coming off the bench, and he can still knock down open jumpers, but his star is fading. Good luck to him rejuvenating his career in South Beach.  They also have an improved Gerald Green, but if their bigs get in foul trouble, or Jackson gets a little too overzealous or caught placing a sharp elbow in someone’s throat, the team has a big problem. Moving Okafor that far away from the basket presents a problem, as he lacks the quickness to defend wing players. Also, can Gibson keep up with some of the other (read: better) point guards?

Roster: D.J. Augustin PG, Paul Milsap PF, Marcus Thornton SG, Greg Monroe C, Danny Granger SF
Bench: Glen Davis PF, Tyrus Thomas PF, Chris Duhon PG

Louisiana natives are reeling from the Saints scandal already, and their All-Star hometown squad probably wouldn't cheer them up too much if thrown into an international styled tourney. Their starting squad doesn't boast a bonafide scorer or playmaker but instead a brings a couple secondary offensive options with Danny Granger, Paul Milsap, and Marcus Thornton. On the bright side they would have a solid center in Greg Monroe who can facilitate sometimes, but even him paired with an OK passer in D.J. Augustin couldn't stop this team from being more than subpar.

Their best feature might just be there defense however, as most of the starters actually work on D and they have guys who are actually playing their natural positions so theres a smaller chance they end up undersized. Off the bench you have the old LSU boys with Tyrus Thomas and Glen Davis and pretty much an older less talented version of Augustin in Chris Duhon. It'd be hard for them to stay in games unless they strap up something crazy, but even if they do end up keeping it close late they'd undoubtedly suffer from a severe case of "Uh....so who gets the ball for the final shot?" syndrome. Also please tell us who's consistently knocking down the three for this team? If you answered Danny Granger for both, wish this team luck cause they'll need it.

Roster: Michael Redd SG, Daequan Cook SG, Antonio Daniels PG, LeBron James SF, Kevin Martin SG
Bench: Norris Cole PG, Kosta Koufos C, Byron Mullens C

This squad is LeBron's worst nightmare. It's the Cleveland Cavs all over again. You got an old, raggedy Antonio Daniels running the point like the real-life Uncle Drew. Speaking of old, Michael Redd hasn't been able to stay healthy, but can still knock down the open three. Speaking of threes, Daequan Cook can shoot with the best of 'em, giving the King an option on the wings. Kevin Martin can be the second option with his dynamic offensive game and let LeBron do the heavy lifting.

Speaking of LeBron, do you think he can carry this sorry excuse for a team to the mountain top? In him all things are possible, but even he won't be able to make up for their lack of size. Sure Koufos and Mullens are 7-footers, but you're forgetting the fact that they also suck major bonage. Norris Cole can come off the pine to spell Antonio Daniels while he's on the sidelines receiving oxygen. This Ohio team won't last long in a pick-up game let alone international play. After what's sure to be an early exit, LeBron will make "The Decision Pt. 2" and announce that he was born in Little Havana and defect to Miami.

Roster: Josh Howard SF, Brendan Haywood C, John Wall PG, Chris Paul PG, Antwan Jamison F
Bench: Stephen Curry PG, Anthony Morrow SG, John Henson C, Chris Wilcox PF, Eric Maynor PG, Jerry Stackhouse SF, Damien Wilkins SG

Looking at the NC team is a lot like following a seemingly gorgeous woman down the street, only to find out you've been walking behind a 60-year-old with a fine ass for two blocks. The backcourt of Chris Paul and John Wall is foine—with Paul toting the rock, Wall is free to freelance on slashes to the hoop. You could see the youngster from Raleigh putting up 25 points a game in international play, and cutting down on his turnover rate, mostly because he's a) not really playing the point, and b) there's no one—no one—in the frontcourt to pass to.

The frontcourt is the moment you walk up beside that lady with the lovely posterior and realize that GOOD GOD IT'S WORSE THAN JUWANNA MANN! IT'S BRENDAN HAYWOOD! We're not sure what they're putting in the water down in the Tar Heel state (it's actually probably sweet tea), but whatever it is, it's not conducive to producing useful tall basketball players. The one exception could be incoming rookie John Henson, who's either the poor man's Anthony Davis or the black Shawn Bradley, we'll have to see. In any case, the Carolina team might be better off going with a four-guard lineup with Paul, Wall (the people's champ!), Steph Curry, and Anthony Morrow, and just take a bunch of 35-foot jumpers.

Roster: Joakim Noah C, Kemba Walker PG, Lance Stephenson SG, Charlie Villanueva PF, Ron Artest SF
Bench: Ben Gordon SG, Danny Green SG, Taj Gibson PF

New York brings some toughness to the table. With Joakim Noah manning the paint alongside Taj Gibson and Metta, they can make any offense beg for mercy. Kemba and Ben Gordon are dangerous combo guards that'll give defenses headaches and if Charlie and Lance manage to get their heads out their asses you better watch out! Danny Green can benefit from the shortened three point line and kill 'em softly from the corner.

Now to their weaknesses. Damn near the whole roster is streaky on the offensive end. If Ben Gordon isn't unconscious, he's pretty much useless and Kemba hasn't proven he can be effective when he's not scoring. Villanueva and Stephenson can and will be this team's downfall. Both guys are talented, but are way too confident in their abilities—those dudes think they're the best players on the floor at all times. Almost forgot about Metta World Peace. His name was made for international play. His brain? Not so much. Hopefully this won't be an NBA-sponsored event because Stern will have Metta on a very short leash. World Peace isn't all bad, though. He can still hit the three and play some defense.

They'll make some noise in international play, but we don't think they'll be on the medal stand when it's all said and done. At least with him, Lance, Charlie there won't be a shortage of great theatre. We don't think the world is ready for this cast of characters.

Roster: Darrell Arthur F, Deron Williams PG, LaMarcus Aldridge PF, Wesley Johnson SG, Chris Bosh PF
Bench: Kurt Thomas PF, C.J. Miles SG

Dallas has arguably the best point guard in the league in Deron Williams (FOH with those 2 guards disguised as 1s—yes you, D-Rose). After D-Will, there’s some athleticism and a lot of youth and potential on this squad. LaMarcus Aldridge has really grown into his role as one of the productive big men in the NBA, averaging over 20 PPG over the last two seasons and making his first All-Star team in 2012. The athletic tandem of D-Will to Aldridge would cause a number of problems for even the best defenders.

Wesley Johnson and Darrell Arthur are the two players who represent “the youth potential.” Neither of them have made an impression on the league but maybe having Williams as their floor general will help bring them along. Lastly, there’s the team’s X-factor: Chris Bosh. Having a motherfucking dinosaur on the squad is all that really needs to be said (that and the fact that dude has put up 19.8 PPG and 9.1 APG over the course of his career). If this team wins then champagne facials for everyone! Ayo!

Roster: Al Harrington F, Kyrie Irving PG, J.R. Smith SG, Randy Foye SG, Andrew Bynum C
Bench: Kenneth Faried PF, Dahntay Jones SG, David West PF

The Garden State has a decent team with a nice mix of youth, veterans and size. They have a nice little backcourt in Kyrie and Foye and a true center in Bynum. Kyrie can take over a game when he sees fit, but he's going to have to be a facilitator with guys like Smith, Harrington and Bynum that need the ball to be effective. Randy Foye is a gritty defender and gives you versatility by being able to play either guard postion. JR "koldgame" Smith can do what he does best and create havoc while Al Harrington can cause some mismatches on the lower block and stretch the floor with the 3.

They've got a tough bench too. David West can provide some size and is capable of stretching the defense with that 15-footer he loves so much as well as some veteran savvy. Dahntay Jones can annoy someone on the defensive end and Faried can give you some nice board work and toughness. The offense most definitely has to go through Andrew Bynum, so Kyrie has to make sure to feed the big man before he gets himself going. A major weakness is the abundance of streaky shooters and hot heads. Smith and Harrington will shoot you out of a game and Jones and Bynum are capable of picking up techs at inopportune times.

Their aggressive style of play will most certainly lead to some quick whistles in international play. We know it's a long shot, but if Bynum, Smith and Jones can find it in their hearts to behave themselves, this Jersey squad can pull off a couple upsets. We can invision them playing for a medal if the stars align, they get hot at the right time, and feed the beast in the middle.

Roster: Dwight Howard C, MarShon Brooks SG, Josh Smith PF, Lou Williams G, Al-Farouq Aminu SF
Bench: J.J. Hickson PF, Derrick Favors C

Atlanta’s one of those talent factories that pumps out R&B singers, actors, and a steady stream of world class athletes. So it’s no surprise that they’d field one of the most competitive city teams.

Provided Dwight Howard doesn’t waiver back-and-forth tirelessly about playing for Atlanta or his favorite childhood vacation spot (Wisconsin Dells!), Atlanta will have the league’s most imposing big man. Josh Smith is one of those sometimes-a-center forward’s who played the post quite a bit in Atlanta. He’s an underrated rebounder and matchup nightmare. Between Smith and Howard, the frontcourt in Atlanta is as formidable as the main stage at Magic City.

The backcourt is full of question marks for Atlanta. Lou Williams is easily the most experienced guard, but his role in Philadelphia was an off-the-bench spark. He’s one hell of a spark, but could flame out if he was forced to carry a team. Al-Farouq Aminu is a 20-minutes-per-game guy who rebounds sometimes and scores almost never. Marshon Brooks may develop into the prolific scorer he was in college. Someday. Until then, he’s the fourth best player on the dreadful Nets. Atlanta is dangerous and certainly competitive, but falls somewhere between Music Midtown and the Freaknik in terms of being legendary.

Roster: Markieff Morris PF, Marcus Morris PF, Kobe Bryant SG, Tyreke Evans PG, Kyle Lowry PG
Bench: Lavoy Allen PF, Hakim Warrick PF, Richard Hamilton SG/SF, Gerald Henderson SG/SF, Jameer Nelson PG

The "City of Brotherly Love" phrase is nothing more than a saying. Featuring a combination of elite talent, heart and a diamond-in-the-rough desire to win, the Philly team is coming straight for your neck. Philly is a blue-collar, underdog city with a chip on its shoulder, so what this team lacks in depth and talent, it compensates for in terms of cojones. With no true center, the starting five features a frontcourt composed of the Morris twins. Markieff is the more talented of the two, but these boys know how to work together and won't mind accumulating 12 combined fouls to send a message to opposing big men.

The Philly team's starting five also sports three guards, led by the fearless Kyle Lowry. He's joined by Tyreke Evans, who hails from the Philly suburbs, but has the right combination of size, body control and a handle sick enough to paralyze the most vicious of defenders. Closing out the starting five is another dude from the Philly 'burbs that you might have heard of. First name Kobe, last name Bryant. Love him or hate him, he's still arguably the best player in the NBA right now and easily one of the ten best ever to do it. Wily veterans Jameer Nelson and Richard Hamilton bring more seasoning and NBA Finals experience. Both of those guys have played in big games and know how to win them.

Last, but not least, Hakim Warrick brings that "I just might put my nuts on your face" factor with his powerful dunks. The Philly team may look light, but they're nothing to underestimate. Plus, even if you can't stand him, would you really bet against the Black Mamba with the game on the line?

Roster: Tyson Chandler C, James Harden SG, Jrue Holiday PG, Paul Pierce SF, Russell Westbrook PG
Bench: Craig Smith PF, Tayshaun Prince SF, Trevor Ariza SF, DeMar DeRozan SG, Brandon Jennings PG

Sporting an extremely deep squad, Team L.A. has a combination of savvy vets and hungry young guns that are not to be taken lightly. Tyson Chandler owns the middle, and joining him in the frontcourt the starting five’s resident O.G., Inglewood native Paul Pierce. He’s getting up there in age, but he's still no joke on the court, somehow able to beat people off the dribble and get into the lane or create the separation needed to knock down huge shots.

Jrue Holiday’s size and athleticism make the rapidly-improving guard a frightening defender, and he’s joined in the backcourt by OKC teammates Russell Westbrook and James Harden. Taking Westbrook off of the ball and letting either Holiday or Harden run the show will free him up to fire at will (which he loves to do) or slash to the basket. He’s an excellent finisher who often posterizes much taller defenders to the delight of fans everywhere. Westbrook will keep defenses occupied, leaving Harden to spot up for open jumpers or slash to the hole himself.

Brandon Jennings could easily step into the starting lineup and drop 30 on anyone, and the rest of the bench is deep enough to hit opposing teams with a barrage of possible lineups which are equally threatening. This team is also fairly young and very athletic, so they will run you up and down the court all day long. Ah, the power of youthful legs. The only concern is what will happen when Westbrook fouls out and Jennings has one of those 3-16 shooting nights, or Harden vanishes like he did in the Finals. Chandler is also the team’s only true big man, so if he gets in foul trouble, they’re in trouble.

Roster: JaVale McGee C, Derrick Rose PG, Evan Turner SG, Dwyane Wade SG, Anthony Davis C
Bench: Bobby Simmons PF, Juwan Howard C, Quentin Richardson SF

There are cities that may challenge the Chi in talent (well, one maybe), but not in toughness. There are, like, 30 shootings a day in Chicago. While some slayings are gang related, we’re pretty sure at least half are from fools calling their own fouls in Englewood’s Murray Park. Translation: Chicago raises some hard ass basketball players.

If the game is officiated in a gym, DMV has a chance. If the two teams square off behind a chain link fence on Chicago’s South Side, it’ll be DC’s most devastating annihilation since Independence Day. And Jeff Goldblum and the Fresh Prince ain’t hopping on the Red Line to save the day, either.

Let’s start with the backcourt because, well, it’s pretty good. Dwyane Wade and Derrick Rose are two of the most aggressive, get-to-the-rim guards in basketball. If the game’s close in the fourth quarter, those two will start drawing more hacks than LinkedIn and win at the free-throw line.

Anthony Davis is a teenager with a Tim Duncan-like repertoire. The skill set of the 2012 Draft’s No. 1 pick is sometimes overshadowed with predictable, played unibrow jokes, but he’s automatically one of the league’s most talented big men and he hasn’t even taken the floor yet. Evan Turner is another young Chicagoan with seemingly limitless NBA potential. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2010 Draft burst on to the scene this last postseason by calling out his hometown Bulls, flipping Chicago in six games, and looking rather Brandon Roy-like with his ability to slash to the rim at six-foot-seven.

In between swatting goal tends into the cheap seats and hanging on the rim in the fourth quarter with his team down 30, Javale McGee shows flashes of brilliance. When focused, McGee plays like a top 10 center and he’s only 24-years-old.

Any discussion of Chicago’s chances has to start with health though. Derrick Rose’s leg is dangling by a wet Band-Aid and Dwyane Wade’s smug sneer has been replaced with a seemingly permanent pained grimace. Obviously, if this team loses either of those players, Chicago becomes a pompous, exponentially more violent Milwaukee.

Also, the Chicago Public School system is one of the worst in the country. Javale McGee’s proven to be basketball’s most clueless player. And Derrick Rose and Anthony Davis barely finished a year of college between them (at John Calipari led programs no less). In other words, they’re young and dumb. The team’s attitude hinges on veteran Dwyane Wade who, at times, plays with the composure of a coked-out Gary Busey.

Roster: Kevin Durant SF, Rudy Gay SF, Ty Lawson PG, Roy Hibbert C, Carmelo Anthony SF
Bench: Delonte West G, Michael Beasley F, Ed Davis F

Arguably the most talented team of them all, the DMV squad would put on quite a show if assembled. First off, they have two of the top three pure scorers in the league with KD and Melo, which means buckets won’t be hard to come by. Throw in one of the only legit centers left in the league in Roy Hibbert, an emerging point guard in Ty Lawson, and an athletic beast in Rudy Gay (a 2012 Olympic team snub already according to some). They'd have a speedy point guard willing to give it up to three great shooters, so they’d be hard to stop in an international game.

Their weaknesses? Melo’s not making an all defensive team anytime soon and undoubtedly KD or him would have to D up a power forward and hope for help from Hibbert. Luckily they have a guy like Delonte West off the bench who's a solid perimeter defender, and can throw in a big body with Ed Davis for post defense help. When KD gets tired they can play Michael Beasley to do his best KD impression and tag team with Delonte to create the ultimate crazy-ass-light-skinned-dudes-with-tats tandem.

The team's other Achilles heal? Melo learning to deal with the fact that he’s the team's No. 2 option. You thought dealing with Jeremy Lin was hard, try dealing with a guy who pretty much does everything you do but better, has a 7'5" wing span, and doesn’t have an ego. As crazy as it may sound, the guy who may have to scare Melo into accepting his new role is none other than Delonte West. West fears no one and is completely insane so if he tells you to do something you either listen or it's wet willy time!